The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-09-15
VOL. ~.
The Claims Of Education.

Mr.. EDITOR :--Notwith standing the
pressure upon your columns OF the
great and all absorbing interest in
Temperance and the even more at
tractive news of the Three C's vet |
trust you still have space for "The
Claims of Education" For Mr.. Edi.
tor, while we acknowledge the impor-
tance of Prohibition not only for its
moral results, that our young men
may not be schooled in the schools of
vice, but also for its financial and ma
terial results, which in the aggregate
will not be transcribed even by our
Three C's, yet we hold that the claims
Of Education are paramount to all
these for it is education that develops
and polishes the mind, and who shall
estimate the value OF that deathless
thing the mind
The great end of life and of all
things which concern it, is to minister
to the needs of the mind, and the
greatest need that the mind has is ed
ucation. The mind alone is an end,
all things else are but means. Your
houses, your lands, your toll, your-selie
sacrifice, are all but means, temporary
means, to be valued in proportion as
they tend to enlarge, to dignity and to
improve the mind. OF al! things in
any degree entrusted human mind is
beyond expression OF most worth, be-
cause it the only thing which is yal-
liable in and of itself. Farms and
houses, railroads and shipping, earth
and stars, principalities and powers.
things present, and things to come,
have just this use or they have none,
to minister in their feeble way to the
illimitable, eternal and the infinite re-
sources of mind. If anything in the
range of human knowledge can be
pointed to, of which it may be said
that it does not contribute in some
way to perfecting Of mind, then we
say that thing, whatever it may be-
has no right to exist and ought to be
abolished. Let us test the usefulness
OF some aterial.interest or possession
II the railroads of our own State have
increased her population by numbers
that shall be counted by millions, yet
of what avail is it all, if they are mil
lions of knaves. No, if this world was
made for any purpose besides the
glory of God (and to contribute tc
Gods glory,) is to exalt and dignity
mind it was folmed to be the schoo
house of the race, to minister in its
various forms of harmony, beauty anC
sublimity, to the necessities of the
souls that have been placed in it. Il
is for this, that the mountain rise;
from the plain to kiss the sky. 1t il
for this, that the earth is clothed will
the gorgeous robes of Summer 1t il
for this, that the sea is spread out as {
thing of beauty in the calm, and lash
ed into terrific fury when the tenn.
pest RACES. 1t is for this, that tht
Heavens are bedecked with their star
ry train, making the night more glo
rious than the day. 1t is for this, thai
the infinite variety and beauty OF ma
ture exist, all being laid as an offering
upon the shrine OF mind. If this bo
true, is it not debt that every gener
alton men owes to the next succeeding
rs the fulhllment of the law of human
progress, to give to each indiyidua
Of that next generation, as lgl
and symmetrical character, one con
forming as nearly to the ideal of man
ly and womanly excellence as posi-
BILE? Yes my irieds, we may add acr
to acre, house to house, dollar to dol
lar, and we are only tything mint an
Use and cumnin, but the training c
the children entrusted to our care
this is the weightier matter of tn
everlasting law. w.